Member Login
Search


HumaneVMA Speakers Bureau 

This webpage is currently under construction - thank you for your patience as we update our topics!

Dr. Hodges addresses students
Dr. Barbara Hodges speaks to a group of students at Western University.
HSVMA

HumaneVMA brings educational presentations on animal welfare topics to veterinary and veterinary technician schools by request. We cover our speakers' travel costs and can also reimburse for the cost of food. In return, we ask that students interested in bringing one of our talks to their campus secure a lecture hall or other meeting room and advertise the talk to the student body. Learn how you can request a presentation at your school»

 

Presentation Topics

Disabilities in Dogs

This is a thought provoking overview of disabilities we see in pets with a discussion of how veterinarians can support their clients, especially those that choose to care for profoundly disabled animals. Dr. Melissa Shapiro will discuss The Disabled Pets Project and her work as director of Piglet International, Inc.  And of course, her deaf and blind dogs, Piglet and Georgie, are perfect examples of why veterinarians should embrace their disabled patients.

Responding to Suspected Cruelty: Video Scenarios on Recognition, Communication and Reporting

Veterinarians may struggle with how to handle cases of suspected cruelty with the client as each case has special considerations. In this session, Dr. Melinda Merck will present video scenarios of a client discussion and management of suspected cruelty case within in the hospital setting. Seven different scenarios will be presented: domestic violence, elder abuse, neglect, euthanasia, hoarding, dog fighting and non-accidental injury. Handling of each type of situation and suspicious indicators of abuse will be presented. Each scenario will include a follow-up detailed discussion of key points. 

Operation Ukraine: Providing Veterinary Care in a War Zone

Founder of The Street Dog Coalition, Dr. Jon Geller, started the organization's first international operation, "Operation Ukraine," when he saw the need for veterinary care as thousands of people fleeing the war with their pets were left homeless.  With the help of emergency grants and donations from the public, Dr. Geller helped set up a pop-up clinic at the Ukraine-Romania border.  His team has helped refugees obtain much needed veterinary care and the required 'passports' for their pets so they are able to travel into the European Union together. Now working with Worldwide Vets, Dr. Geller and a team of volunteers provide care to owners needing support for their pets and sterilize abandoned animals abandoned during the war.

Veterinary Forensics

The recognition of the Link is critical for investigators, social services, prosecutors and the veterinary community. The application of veterinary forensics can play an important role in both animal and human related crimes. This presentation will include indicators of abuse, the use of veterinary forensics for the investigator and veterinarians, and the critical role of the veterinarian, working together with investigators, to achieve positive case outcomes.

Why Access to Care Resources is a Social Justice Issue

Pet ownership crosses all geographic, racial and socioeconomic boundaries, but access to information and services does not. Institutional bias and systemic inequality have impacted pets in ways you may not realize and there is a great need in our field to understand and deepen the connection between social, racial, and economic justice and animal welfare. Discover what this could mean in your community and how it should inform your organization’s programming.  The Pets for Life team presents this topic and will discuss how they advocate for people who are routinely overlooked and act as an ally in fighting against economic and racial injustice.

Risk Versus Reunion: Emergency Response and Distemper After Hurricane Harvey

Medical care plays a vital role in any emergency response. Dr. Erin Katribe, Medical Director of Best Friends Animal Society, will discuss the part that medical care plays in disaster response and the role of the veterinarian, using one organization's response to Hurricane Harvey and the distemper outbreak that occurred as an example. Despite the many challenges, disasters like Harvey present an opportunity for pushing the boundaries of lifesaving.

Understanding Animal Hospice Within Welfare Work

Animal hospice is a growing field and rightly so.  Animals deserve the best of care, emotionally and physically, as they reach the end of life.  Their welfare is at the heart of our support.  This presentation will reveal how animal hospice can be applied in medical directives and the approach we take with clients and team members.  This topic is presented by a member of the Companion Animal Euthanasia Training Academy (CAETA), the educational division of Lap of Love.

 Emotionally Intelligent Euthanasia: Protecting You While You Care for Others

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the capacity to be aware of, control and express one's emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically.  A member of the Companion Animal Euthanasia Training Academy (CAETA) will host this fun and engaging presentation to help students prepare for euthanasia work in private practice or shelters.  Focus will be placed on building awareness of our skills and individuality, while strengthening ourselves for emotional work.  Time will be given to exploration into ideal euthanasia methodology

 Wellness vs. Vaccine Clinics

Access to veterinary care is an issue that affects all communities. It can also be one of the leading causes of pet relinquishment when considering shelter populations. During this session we will discuss the benefits of providing low/no cost vaccines within the community, types of clinics and services, and utilizing resources that may already be available. Topics included will be targeting at risk areas, developing protocols, and deciding on the most sustainable model.

Anesthesia and Analgesia in the Field: Keeping Patients Happy in a Bus Garage

Veterinary field medicine can sometimes be correlated with diminished care due to limited resources. We’ll discuss considerations and reaching goals in anesthesia/analgesia protocols that provide high quality care to our small animal patients. We’ll examine drug effects, multimodal analgesia, and protocol design with case examples from the field.

Adventures in Veterinary Volunteerism

This talk will be a Rural Area Veterinary Services (RAVS) informational session focused on the RAVS experience.

The Ethics of Brachycephalic Dogs  (Available virtually only)

This lecture will discuss why genetic selection for brachycephaly or short-nosed dogs, is a significant welfare issue. Symptoms, risk factors, emerging diagnostic tests, and measures the profession can take to improve the problem will be discussed.  This topic is presented by Dr. Barry Kipperman, a HumaneVMA CA State Co-Representative, who is board certified in both small animal internal medicine and animal welfare.

The Responsibility of Veterinarians to Address Companion Animal Obesity  (Available virtually only)

Obesity is a modern day epidemic in people and companion animals. This lecture will discuss the detrimental effects of obesity on animal welfare, scientific data on DVM compliance with diagnosing and discussing obesity with clients, and will examine ethical concerns. Discrete recommendations are suggested to guide veterinary professionals to better address pet obesity as a One Health problem.  This topic is presented by Dr. Barry Kipperman, a HumaneVMA CA State Co-Representative, who is board certified in both small animal internal medicine and animal welfare.

Access to Veterinary Care: A National Family Crisis

Lack of access to veterinary care is a complex societal problem with multiple causes but it is primarily associated with low socioeconomic status. Simply stated, millions of pets do not receive adequate veterinary care because the costs are beyond the family’s ability to pay-making access to veterinary care the most significant animal welfare crisis affecting owned pets in the United States. It results in the suffering and premature death of pets, the sorrow and heartache of pet owners, and the anguish and grief of the veterinary professionals who have the knowledge, skills, and desire to provide care. Increasing access to veterinary care is a societal goal-that is, all pets deserve some level of veterinary care.

This session shares the results of a national population study of barriers to veterinary care that pet owners face, and what veterinarians know about the problem and their attitudes and practices regarding it. In addition, AlignCare™, a research and development project of One Health veterinary care, funded by Maddie’s Fund, will be presented. AlignCare™ improves access to veterinary care by aligning family support social service and public health entities with veterinary service providers, using charitable donations from foundations, businesses, and private citizens.

This was a terrific, thought-provoking lecture which reminded me of the reasons I went into this profession.

- Sarah Kezar, Auburn University Class of 2018

The Veterinarian's Role in Recognizing and Reporting Animal Cruelty

As an animal advocate and veterinary professional, one of the most important tasks you may undertake is recognizing and reporting animal cruelty. This presentation will provide guidance on recognizing animal cruelty, including abuse and neglect, and understanding the veterinary professional's responsibilities in reporting these cases to the appropriate authorities.

This was excellent and I felt that information was presented that we would not get in our education here at school. I thought Dr. Graves was very real and did not sugar coat the information  - which was greatly appreciated.

- Marissa Owen, Michigan State University Class of 2020

New Developments in the Case Against Cosmetic and Convenience Surgeries in Companion Animals

Convenience surgeries, such as cat declawing, ear cropping and tail docking, have no medical benefit, but are still performed by many veterinarians.

This presentation reviews these procedures and explains some of their negative side effects. It also includes information about alternatives and how to effectively explain them to clients.

The Impacts of Costs of Care on Animal and Veterinarian Well-Being  (Available virtually only)

This lecture will discuss the frequency with which veterinarians, pet owners, and animal companions are affected by economic limitations, the most common resources used to mitigate this problem and their impact on animal care, to what extent veterinarians are informing and educating pet owners regarding costs of care and payment options before patient illness occurs, obstacles to veterinarian compliance in educating clients on this topic, the influence of costs of care on professional recommendations, career satisfaction and professional burnout, and discuss proposed areas for improvement.  This topic is presented by Dr. Barry Kipperman, a HumaneVMA CA State Co-Representative, who is board certified in both small animal internal medicine and animal welfare.

Exotic Companion Mammals: The New Shelter Animal

What you need to know about the numbers of exotic companion animals that are flooding shelters, including basic husbandry and medical care. An overview of best spay/neuter methods for rabbits, guinea pigs, and sugar gliders will also be provided.

Great speaker, fun presentation - a unique topic that needs to be heard about more! I would love to do an externship focused on the needs of exotic companion animals with Dr. Schneider!              

- Sara Lindo, Michigan State Class of 2021

Farm Animal Welfare: The Science and Ethics (Available virtually only)

More than three-fourths of veterinarians in the United States practice small animal medicine while there are sixty times more farmed animals killed for food in this country than dogs and cats.

This presentation summarizes the current conditions in which farm animals are raised and slaughtered in the United States, provides an ethical argument as to why small animal veterinarians should be concerned about farm animals, and provides a variety of ways small animal veterinarians can use their expertise to make a difference in improving the welfare of these animals.

Medical Aspects of Community Cat and Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Release (TNVR) Programs

Dramatic increases in feline lifesaving in shelters have been accomplished through the implementation of community cat programs. Community cat programming consists of a combination of proactive, targeted trap-neuter-vaccinate-release (TNVR) and shelter-neuter-return (SNR) programming as a live outcome pathway for cats that enter the shelter system. In this lecture, learn techniques to safely handle community cats in the high-quality, high-volume, spay/neuter clinic or private practice setting, preventive care protocols for TNVR/SNR cats, how to design a multi-modal anesthetic protocol appropriate for TNVR/SNR cats, surgical techniques for efficient sterilization, techniques for prevention and management of surgical complications, and management of common conditions found in free-roaming cats that enter the shelter or present for sterilization surgery (ectoparasites, traumatic injuries, upper respiratory tract disease).  This topic is presented by Dr. Erin Katribe, Medical Director of Best Friends Animal Society

Street Medicine: Caring for Pets of the Indigent

The bond between people experiencing homelessness and their pets is very strong due to the social isolation and dysfunction that exists on the streets. Providing care to pets of people experiencing homeless and near-homelessness is one of the biggest challenges facing veterinary medicine. In this talk, Dr. Geller discusses the work of The Street Dog Coalition and other non-profits involved in this work, and also presents opportunities for student involvement.

Awesome to hear a vet talk about this because I've always wanted to start something like this. Thank you, this presentation has inspired me!!!                  

- Shirley Chan, Western University Class of 2020

Puppy Mills and Irresponsible Dog Breeding

The expansive puppy mill industry raises many animal health and welfare concerns. Although the conditions vary widely in quality, puppy mills are typically operated with an emphasis on profits over animal welfare and the dogs often live in substandard conditions, housed for their entire reproductive lives in cages or runs, provided little to no positive human interaction or other forms of environmental enrichment, and minimal to no veterinary care.

Presented by Dr. Lorna Grande, HumaneVMA Program Director of Education and Outreach, this lecture defines what makes a breeding facility a puppy mill, reviews the number of puppies that come from puppy mills and how they are sold, showcases the common health problems seen in dogs bred in these environments and the impact on the puppies, puppy buyers, animal shelters, and other organizations.  

Wildlife Care Basics

Deciding if a wild animal can be rehabilitated can be a daunting task for a veterinarian.  Whether you are planning to specialize in wildlife medicine or help triage until transfer to a local rehabber, this presentation will give you the fundamentals,  Intake, triage, handling, and species specific treatments are covered, as well as zoonotic diseases and what to take into consideration before release.  Legal issues are also discussed.

 

 

Request a Presentation at Your School

To request an HumaneVMA presentation, please send an email to [email protected] with the following information:

  1. Your name
  2. Name of the veterinary school you attend
  3. Presentation topic(s) you are interested in
  4. Proposed date(s) and time (i.e., lunch or evening talk)

Priority scheduling will be granted to schools with HumaneVMA Student Chapters or Student Representatives.